The Netherlands
The Netherlands ''' 60% of the Netherlands is below sea level '''Political: The constitutional monarchy of the Netherlands is a democracy. The Netherlands is a founding member of EU and NATO Main interests: Trade, education and technology, Energy markets, stability in the region. Stats: 17 million inhabitants (end of 2016) Defense Budget: $10,000,000,000 (end of 2016) External Debt: $2,347,000,000,000 Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold: $71,950,000,000 GDP 2015: Total $818.249 billion (27th) Per capita $48,317 (15th) Main persons of interest and assets. Prime minister Klok Official political leader of the Netherlands. He is a central liberal with a friendly "old boys club" attitude and a knack for business opportunities. King Willem Alexander The Dutch King is the youngest serving monarch in Europe. He prefers a more informal approach, is very modern minded and has a very positive charm. His state visits are often very frivolous in nature and his ability to befriend foreign nations is very valuable. In his wake business men and other delegates follow to make great new deals. Queen Maxima Argentinian born Queen Maxima Zorreguita often accompanies the king on his visits and has proven to be a very capable negotiator. Royal state visits: Philippines , South Korea and Saudi Arabia , Aruba and Curacao Japan , China Main assets: Schiphol airport Is the 5th busiest airport in Europe Rotterdam Harbor Is Europe's largest harbor, 6th in the world and considered "the gateway to Europe" Groningen gas field is one of the 10 largest gas fields in the world and the biggest in Europe. Polder project has started to drain the central lake and add more agricultural grounds. ( 2years remaining) An extensive merchant marine fleet. Main specialties: - Worlds premier Agricultural University Wageningen is considered the most advanced in its field. - Dutch dredging, Poldering, Naval-Salvage and Watermanagment assets and knowledge are considered the best in the world - Civil engineering, oil&gas and pipe-laying, Trading, Finance, Education and technology assets and knowledge are amongst the top of the world - Cancer research. Education, tech, and knowledge - An official partnership between Leiden University (ranked 64th) and University of Tokyo (ranked 23th) to increase scientific knowledge. - An official partnership agreement between Delft technical university and KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology to increase our knowledge Exchange student programs with: Japan, South-Korea, China and Greenland. Offering multiple foreign scholarships to less developed countries. Research: In cooperation with SK we are researching: - A next generation of Merchant vessels: current status - A new Dutch naval ship-design: Current status In cooperation with Japan: - A cooperation in pursuit of renewable energy and indoor farming: current status In cooperation with China. - Sino-Dutch aerospace seminar for further cooperation in the civilian aircraft tech sector Infrastructure, Trade and Energy: Infrastructure. IJsselmeer polder plan is expected to be fully complete in jan 2020. Schiphol airport is at 90% capacity Rotterdam harbor is at 95% capacity, Work is nearly finished on 40% extended capacity. (2018) The Rhine river and "Betuwelijn" train-cargo line to Germany are well within capacity. The traffic inflow has increased and roads are relatively clear outside peak hours. Road network conditions are dense and good. Trade. Rotterdam Harbor is being improved by adding "maasvlakte 3" at the coast. (1 year to completion) Dutch merchant marine is being increased by an order of top of the line trading ships. Open trade agreements have been agreed with: Phillipines, Brazil, Japan, China, Canada, Saudi - Arabia, South - Korea, Argentina, USA, Greenland. Energy: A drilling agreement with Greenland was agreed and exploitation has started. An oil agreement with Saudi - Arabia was agreed The Groningen gas-field is producing like normal Military. The Netherlands has one of the oldest standing armies in Europe. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_Army Royal Dutch Army] Currently the Dutch have the following infantry: Active Frontline Personnel: 48,360 (jan 18) Active Reserve Personnel: 32,200 Their specialized forces consist of: World renowned Marines and 4,000 paratroopers, air-mobile brigade in active service. In addition a recruitment program was started in the end of 2016 adding 100 troops and 100 marine's every 2 months. Assets: 44 CV9035 - Light tanks / infantry fighting vehicle 14 Leopard 2 - Main battletank 57 PanzerHouwitzer 2000 - Artillery 200 Boxer - Armoured fighting vehicles 370 Fennek - Armored car 208 Airmobile light support vehicles 96 Bushmasters - Armored mobility vehicles ------------------------------ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_Air_Force Royal Dutch Airforce] Fighters / Multi-role aircraft 61 - F16 Fighting falcon's 67 - JSF F-35 lighting II Attack helicopters: 30 AH46-D Apache longbows 17 AS532 Cougar multi role helicopters Transport Planes and helicopters 4 C130 Hercules transport planes 3 Boeing C-17 Globemaster transport planes 31 CH-47 Chinook Transport Helicopters Drones: 4 Mq-9 Reaper Drones Air defense: 35 Patriot Pac-3 missile systems ------------------------------- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_Navy Royal Dutch Navy] List of active Ships 10 P-8 Poseidon naval search aircraft 20 Nh-90 Multi purpose helicopters -------------------------------------- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_Marine_Corps Royal Dutch Marines] These are increasing with 100 every two months. Currently at 3,000 marines (jan 18) 40 AH-1Z viper Attack helicopters 230 BvS10 - tracked, all-terrain carrier (Dutch custom marine variant) 20 LCVP - Landing craft 46 - Fast Raiding, Interception and Special Forces Craft Defensive structures: Secret adding defensive features , anti-air installations and explosives to main polderdikes and the deltaworks. To have the option to overflow part of the country with water as a defensive feature. (an old and tried Dutch strategy). Current Military assets deployed oversea: 2 Orion search aircraft are patrolling Polish northern border and coast 2 Orion search aircraft are patrolling the Bosporus in Turkey 15 Patriot missile systems are deployed along the Polish border 12 F-16's are performing airstrikes over Iraq versus ISIS based in Turkey Defense Budget: Defense budget in dollars: 10,000,000,000 18% investing in new material = usd: 1,800,000,000 annual investments possible. Bought: 2016: 2015 - 25 patriot missile systems - usd: 150,000,000 2017: 37 JSF's (IRL order and has been pre-budgetted) 2017: 30 F-35, 40 Viper helicopters, 2 Apache helicopters, 10 P-8 Poseidon aircraft totalling 6000 million payed by jan 2019. Money left for investments 2015: 1,770,000,000 2016: 1,650,000,000 2017: 1,800,000,000 2018: 1,800,000,000 Payments made in 2017 - 2,000,000,000 to USA payments made in 2018 - 2,000,000,000 to usa overall budget left in 2018: 3,020,000,000 1 payments of 2,000 million left in jan 2019 to USA Merchant ship fleet. Multiple assets (744 strong on global firepower) Latest assets: 5 - Giant valemax Bulk carriers 10 - Giant Q-max LNG carriers (5 more incoming) 10 - TI- class supertankers (5 more incoming) 5 - Barzan giant container ships 2 - Solitaire oil&gas Pipe laying ships Orders: https://www.voat.co/v/ModernPowers/comments/339486 https://voat.co/v/ModernPowers/comments/352933/1471456 ------------------ Foreign relations. Category:Claimed Nations